Bottle-handling machine.



H.` J. CHILTON. /BOTTLE'HANDLING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3,1910.

1,132,162. Patented 11131116, 1915.

'9 I l 11 l 111'l .9.9 f@ LT1-1 1 1 d! 'I Mw l f H. J. CHILTON. BOTTLEHANDLING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION'PILED JAN. s, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Ma.'16,1915.

H. J. CHILTON. BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED VJAN. 3, 1910.

Patented Mal'. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. J. CHILTON.

BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE.

v ABPLIGATION FILED 11u13, 1910,

Patented Mar, 16, 1915.

5 SHEETlS-SHEET 4.

:lfm/ien, or

H. J. OHILTON. BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE.

l,IP,PLIOM'IOII FILED JAN. 3, 1910.

1 132, 1 62.` Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

.I l WIP-@E525 l 60 :Ing femm ma. W W1, "W

BOTTLE-HANDLING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HENRY J. CHILTON, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Patented Mar'. 16, 1915.

Application filed January 3, 1910. Serial No. 536,012.

and useful 1improvements in Bottle-Ham' dling Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bottle handling machines, andrefers more particularly to improvements in construction of machines ofthat character, commonly known as rotary cappers.

Among the salient objects of the present invention are to provide amachine of the character referred to in which the bottles after beingfilled are shifted into alinement with capping devices and thereautomatically capped; to provide in a construction of this generalcharacter novel mechanism for automatically shifting the bottle holderssuccessively into their various positions,lsaid shifting mechanism beingpositively operated by simple cam lmechanism; to provide equalizingmeansfwhereby the bottles are capped by the uniform and predeterminedpressure regardless of any inequalities in the size of thebottles; toprovide au improved form of hopper for automatically feeding the caps tothe delivery chutes; to provide means for insuring a more accurate andreliable feed ofthe caps tothe capping devices in which each capper isprovided with an individual chute; to provide a machine in which thevarious operating mechanisms are accurately controlled by simple cammechanisms and in which the various mechanisms are operated in properlytimed relation; and in general to provide an improved form ofconstruction of the character referred to.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

1n the drawings-Figure 1 is a front side elevation of my machine, partsbeingbroken away, and other :iarts shown in section, in order to moreclearly bring out details of construction; Fig. Q is a horizontalvertical sectional view taken approximately on lines 2--9 of Fig. l andloo ling'in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic Viewof the bottle holders and associated mechanism shown as laid out fiat;Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, partly in side elevation ofthemechanism for vertically reciprocating the bottles; Fig. 5 is afragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on lines 5-5 -of F ig.I 4and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a detail sectionalview taken on lines G-v-G of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of thearrows; Fig. 7 is a frag mefitary vertical sectional view showing themeans for actuating the rack bar which reciprocates the bottle holders;Fig. 8 isan inverted fragmentary plan view of the gearsv which operatethe rack bars and showing also an associated cam track; Fig. 9 is afragmentary vertical sectional view of the hopper; Fig. l0 is a similarsectional View taken on lines 10-10 of Fig. 9 and looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 11 is a similar view taken on lines 11-11of Fig. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 12 is adetail sectional` view of the lower portion of one of the chutes andassociated capper. Fig. 13 is a sectional detail view of a portion: ofthe delivery chute. Fig. 14 is a sectional detail view of a washerassociated with one of the rack bar plungers. Fig. 15 is a sectionaldetail view of av portion of the hopper mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, l designates as a whole a ring-like basecasting provided with a cylindrical extension 2 and an annular raceway 3which supports a skeleton like` cylindrical casting 4. The latter isprovided at its lower end with a closed air chamber 5 which is arrangedto telescope over the cylindrical extension 2 and ride upon the -raceway3. To the upper Vpart of the rotating frame is .secured a ringlikecasting 6 which rests upon an annular shoulder 7 and ."s secured inposition by means ofy suitable through bolts 8. This casting'is providedwith a plurality of radially extending bosses 9-which are adapted toreceive vertically extending posts 10. The latter lalso extend at thelower ends through similar bosses 11 carried by a bracket 12 bolted orotherwise secured to the rotating main frame 4. To the lower end of themain frame 4 is likewise secured a circumferentially extending `casting13,

the outer' edge of which is provided with a series of cylindricalfsocket members 14 which are arranged 1n almement with the post 10hereinafter more particularly described.' Upon the ring-like castingfinisv mounted a skeleton upper frame 15 which supports thefillmg'mechanism as a whole.

This frame 15 may be secured in position by 24 having a radial extension24.

the throughbolts 8 extendingl through an annular flange 16 upon thelower edge'of the frame 15. Upon the upper edge of this frame 15 isvmounted the filling tank 1 7 which is provided with the usual filling.tubes'1- 8 all in a well known manner. The tank is preferably providedwith a removable cover 19 and regulating float 20. The tank is filled bya supply pipe 21 extending vertically through the center of the machineand communicating with the cross pipe 22 leading to any suitable sourceof supply.

Referring now particularly. to the manner of raising and lowering thebottles, upon the upper end of each post is secured a cap Upon each ofthese caps is mounted a bottle holder v designated as a whole 23 whichis preferably -of two-part construction, comprising a slide 25' and adetachable rest 26. Each slide 25 is secured to the corresponding cap 24by a dovetail connection 28 shown more clearly in lFig. 4. The rests 26are provided with .lugs 27 extending into suitable recesses 27 formedintheopposed `faces of the slides whereby the rest may be readily removed.This permitsof adapting the holders to bottlesof various sizes. In thepresent instance the caps 24 telescope over the upper end of the postsand are secured in position by means of suitable set screws 27. Themanner of reciprocating the bottle holders into their various operativepositions will be hereinafter described. e

Describing now the manner of supporting the capping devices and hopper,to the base casting are secured a series of vertical standards 29 ofwhich there are four. rThe lower ends of these standards are screwthreaded into the base .ca`sting as shown at 29. The upper end of eachstandard is provided with a screw threaded extension 29 upon which isadjustably mounted a sleeve 30 loosely seated in a boss 3lvcarried by aring-like casting 32 which extends around the filling tank 1,7. In orderto adjust the capping. mechanism to bottles of various sizes, thesesleeves and the associated ring-like casting 32 maybe raised4 andlowered upon the standards 29. Accordingly, the sleeve is provided latits upper end with an integral nut 33 and at its lower. end'with adetachable nut 34, between which and the boss 31 is secured a spur, gear35.. This gear is' splined to the sleeve 'as shown at 36. Each of thesegears 35, it being understood that there is one for each post, isadapted to mesh with a relativelyV large gear 37 which extends entirelyaround the machine. This gear is secured in position byI means of a'conlining plate 38 .secured to the ring-like .-casting32 by means ofbolts 39. The'inner face of thering-like casting isprovided at 'itsupper edge with a shoulder 40, .between 'which and the confining plate38 is ysecured an extension 41 of a cylindrical casting 42. Upon theupper end of this castiner ed the inner-side wall 43 of a hopper 44,

lV-shaped in cross section which extends circumferentially of'the.machine as shown most clearly in' Fig. l.

is. mount-l The opposite side` wall 45 of the hopper is bolted as shownaty edge with slots 49. corresponding in 'numf ber to the bottleholders.' These slotsv are of such size as to permit the head of acapto' pass therethrough .into the adjacent delivery chutes 49.

Describing nowv the cappers and associated chutes, the inner cylindricalcasting 42 isl provided with a downwardly extending' flange 51, to thelower end of which is secured a plurality of cappers 52, 52. Each of4these y cappers is provided ywith a delivery chute' 49. Each of thesechutesl communicates at its lower end with the bottom of thecorresponding capperas shown at'53 and at its upper end registers withthe open space 48 at the bottom of the hopper. Each chute passes througha suitable aperture 54 in the cylindrical casting 42 and is fixed at itsupperend' to the'latter bymeans of a clamp 55.-. The outer side wall ofthe hopper is, of course, stationary with the ringlike casting 32 whilethe inner side wall-43 is ,adapted to rotate with the main frame of themachine. To this' end' the frame 15 is provided with a plurality of lugs56 which enter suitable recesses in the casting 51 of the cylindricalcasting 42. In order that -the latter may rotate more freely, a seriesof rollers 57 are interposed between the upper face of the extension 4land the flange 40. rIihese rollers are placed between the opposed uppersurfaces of these castings instead of between the lower bearingsurfaces. in order to-eliminate the friction due to the upward pressureapplied in capping. It is to be here noted that the capping devices andthe hopper are supported by the outer standards 29 instead of by therotating main frame in order to relieve thel rotating main frame of.

.The roleo ; the chutes. The use of individual chutes for 'each capperpermits of a slower and accordingly more accurate feed of the caps. Itmay also be noted that the chutes and .cappers are thus entirelyindependent of each other. Tlf for any reason any chute should stop upor get out of order, it A.would not disable the remainder of thecappers.

Describing now the manner of reciprocatin the bottles into and out ofengagement with the filling tubes, within each post 10 is slidablymounted a rack bar 60, the toothed 4face of whichregisters with a slot61 cut in the face of the post 10. Between the upper end of this rackbar 60 and a plug 6l', screw threaded into the upper end of the post 10is interposed a coiled expansion spring 62. This spring is maintained atall times under a predetermined pressure in the following manner:Between the lower end of the spring and the head of the rack bar isseated a 4washer 63 having opposed lingers 64 which extend throughrelatively short closed slots cut in the side of the tubular post l0.The downward movement of the washer 63 is thus positively limitedregardless of the position of the rack bar 60. rThis spring permits ofyieldable engagement between the bottles and the fillers when thebottles are reciprocated upwardly, thus making an air tight lit betweenthe fillers and ther mouths of the bottles. It may be here noted thatthe tension of the spring 62 is such that when the rack bar is movedupwardly the post l0 moves with it as a unit. The lower end of each rackbar terminates short of the closed'lower endof the post l0 in order topermit of limited movement of the post independent of the rack barduring the opera-- tion of capping.

Describing now'the manner of reciprocating the rack bars, the ring likecasting 6 is provided at its outer periphery with a series ofvdownwardly extending brackets 66 into each of which is screw threaded ajournal stud 67 upon which is rotatably journaled a bearing sleeve 68.The inner end of each of these sleeves is provided with a gear 69 whichprojects through the slot 6l of the post 10 and meshes ,with thecorresponding rack 60. The outer end of each sleeve is provided with abeveled gear 7 0 which rides between a pair of circumferentially opposedtracks 71 and 7 i2 respectively. These tracks are respectively securedto the vertical standards 29 by means of brackets 73 and 74. Upon thelower cam track 7l is mounted a relatively short gear rack 75, and uponthe opposed upper track 72is secured a similar rack 76. Upon 'each gear70, 70 is mounted a cam roller 78, which is adapted to ride upon thecamv surface of the lower track 71 except when the gears engage therespective rack bars 75 and 76. The arrangement is cam rollers ride uponthe cam track without performing any function until they engage thelower rack 75. Thereupon the gears are rotated through one revolutionand the rack bars reciprocated bodily upwardly in the manner described.As the gears leave the rack bar, the rollers again engage the camsurfaces and the gears ride idly along the track. Accordingly, the rackbars and supported bottles are held in their uppermost position, .e., inoperative en-y gagement with the filling apparatus.

After the bottles have been filled, the* gears 70 mesh with the upperrack bar 76 and are rotated in the reverse direction. This, of course,causes the rack bars to descend and the bottles pass out of engage; mentwith the filling tubes. The bottles are now ready to be capped. Meansmust be provided, however, for bringing the filled bottles and thecapping devices into alinement with each other. To this end the framering-like casting G is provided with a series of circumferentiallyextending bosses 79 within each of which is journaled a bushing 79.Within each of these bushings is slidably mounted a rod 80 the upper endof which extends through the base cap 24:, and the lower end of whichextends through the bracket l2. To the upper end of this rod 80 Aissecured a bell crank 8l having a pin 82 extending into the slide 25. Tothe bushing 79 is fixed a similar bell crank 83 having a horizontallyextending rod 84. This rod extends through a suitable bore in the stud67 and is provided at its outer end with a roller 85. Each of theserollers rides in a grooved cam track 86 which is secured to the uppermain' cam track 73. This cam track is so shaped 'that after the bottleskhave been lilled, the rods 84 and connected bell cranks will beoperated and the slides 25 shifted bodily outwardly. In order that therods 80 may rotate with the bushings 79 they are splined to the latteras shown at 87. This latter connection permits of the 'rods beingshifted bodily upwardly with these sleeves is seated a plunger 89 closedat its lower end as shown at 90. In order to secure an air tight litbetween the plunger and sleeve, the latter is provided with a. gland andnut in the ordinary manner. To limit the upward movement of the plunger,the sleeve is provided with an internal shoulder 91. In order to morereadily assemble the parts,'the lsleeve is of two-part construction asshown. The space between the closed lower end of the plunger and thebottom of the sleeve forms an air-tight chamber 92 which communicateswith the main air chamber 5 by means of flexible pipes 93. Apredetermined pressure `is maintained in the main air chamber 5 and theconnected chamber Y92 by means of a pump 94 and pipe connections .95controlled by suitable valve mechanisms.l Inasmuch 'as in practice thesame size bottles frequently have such inequalities in size that theywill break during the operation of capping unless means are provided forpermitting them to yield after av predetermined pressure has beenapplied. 'Ihe air cushions formed in the chambers 92 above describedvsecure the above' result in a simple manner and avoid the necessity ofsprings or other similar mechanism. This,

t of course, results from the fact that as the sleeves 88 are shiftedupwardly to bring the lbottles into operative engagement with thecushions yand `yield suliciently to compensato for different lengthbottles. ,It is to be noted that just-previous to the operation ofcapping, the posts 10 have been lowered into the plungers as shown moreclearly in Figs. 3 andll. Upon the lower e'nd of each sleeve 88isjournaled a camroller 96 which rides upon a cam track 97 mountedupon'the base frame 1. Vhen these rollers ride upon the raised surface98 ofthe cam track as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the bottles arereciprocated upwardly into operative engagement with the cappers. Whenthe rollers have passed over the cam surface, the bottle 'holders arelowered to their normal position `by gravity, and after the operation ofcapping,l

the bottles are automatically shunted out of the holders on to a table99 by means of a deflecting bar 100 in a well known manner. l

.The pump is automatically operated by means of one or more cam blocks101 which'` the posts Q8. The upper end of the fstub.. shaft 107 carriesabeveled gear 108 which meshes with a Vsim-ilar gear 109 mounted, upon amain driving shaft 110. The latter is journaled in a suitable bracket111 secured to the post 29. `To this main shaft 110 is secured a pulley112 which is drivenin any suitable manner.

Acappers, the `plungers ride upon the air' I claim as my invention:

1. In a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a rotary mainframe, of a set of sealing devices rotating in said main frame, a set ofbottle holding devices carried by said main frame and normally out ofalinement with said set of sealing devices, means for shifting aportionof one set of said devices in alinement with the others, and`means for yieldably supporting the boftle holding devices during theoperation of capping.

2. In al bottle handlingv apparatus, the combination with a rotary .mainframe, of a lset of sealing devices rotating therewith,

bottle holding devices carried by said 'main frame and normally out ofalinement with said sealing devices, means for shiftingmembers of oneset ofdevlces into alinement with the corresponding members of thesupporting the bottle vholders during the A operation of capping..

3. In a bottle handling apparatus, thev combination with a rotary mainframe, ofa set of sealing devices rotating therewith, bottle holdingdevices carried by said main frame and normally out of alinement withlsaid sealing devices, and means for shifting the members of one set ofdevices into alinement with the corresponding members of the lother setof devices.

4. In a bottle handling apparatus, the

combination with a plurality of 'sealing devices, bottle holding devicesassociated therewith, means for bringing said devicesinto operativeengagement, an air cushion for each of said bottle holding devices forlyieldably supporting the latter during the operation of sealing, and acommon air cham-A ber having uninterrupted communications with said aircushions. l'

5. -In a bottle capping machine the combination with a pluralityofsealing devices, of a pluralityof bottle holding devices associatedtherewith, a plunger for each bottle holding device, an air cushionchamber for each plunger in which the latter is fyieldably supportedduring the operation o sealing, a common air chamber connected to eachair cushion chamber and means-for bringingthe sealing devices and thebottle holders into operative relation.

6. In a ibottle capping machine, the combination with a set of bottleholding devices,

of a vset of sealing devices, cam mechanism forA bringing said devicesinto operative engagement, a plurality of `air cushions for cushioningsaid devices during the operation of sealing and a c ommonair chambercommunicating with said air cushions.

7.. In a bottle handling machine, the combination with a set of sealingdevices, of -a set of bottle holding devices associated therewith, camactuated mechanism for bringing said devices into operative engagement,of a common air chamber associated with one set of devices formaintaining a substantially uniform pressure during the operation ofsealing.

8.. In a bottle capping machine, the combination with a rotary mainframe, of sealing devices rotating therewith, a hopper come prisingv astationary`member and a rotating member, a plurality of feeding chutesfor conveying the caps from the hopper, to the sealing devices, saidchutes being connected to and travelingr with the rotating member.

9. In a bottle handling apparatus, the combination with a rotary mainframe, of bottle holders carried thereby, sealing de-l vices rotatingvWith said main frame, and bell crank mechanism for shifting the bottleholders into and out of alinement with the sealing devices.

l0. In a'bottle capping machine, the com bination with a rotary mainframe, of' a stationary main frame, sealing devices sup-V ported by saidstationary main frame, means or connecting said sealing devices to therotary frame whereby the sealing device rotates with the latter,a/hopper supported by said stationary main frame and comprising holdingdevices associated therewith,

a stationary and a rotary member, means sa. for connecting the rotarymember of the hopper to the rotary main frame te rotate with the latterand a plurality of chiites rotating with the rotary frame.

l1. In a bottle handling maiihine, the f combination with a rotary mainframe, a plurality of bottle holding devices, and plurality of sealingdevices rotating said main. frame, mechanism for bring said devices intooperative relation,y a pini ity of air cushions for cushioning sait;vices during the operation of sealing, a pump for maintainingsubstantially stant air pressure on said cushions.

12. In a bottle handling machine, the cem bination With a rotary mainframe witl set of sealing devices and a set oit bc CGIE" anisin forbringing said devices into opera tive relation, a plurality ci aircushions fer 1 cushioning said devices during the cpera tion of sealing,and an air chamber cem municating with said cushions.

c er Witnesses:

FRANKV L. Bnniirmr, ANNA (YEMEN.

